658-59transposed after 660, and 661 transposed before 660, by Peiper, who also recognised the lacuna in 660; the supplement is Zwierlein’s

661Oilei D. Heinsius: oyleus E: cyleus A

666deleted by Peiper

402

Medea

Go ahead, brave men, plough through the seas,with danger in a spring!

Idmon, though well aware of fate,was buried in Libya’s sands by a serpent;true seer for all, false only for himself,Mopsus fell dead, parted from Thebes.If he sang truly of the future,Thetis’ husband will wander in exile;dying by lightning and sea, Oileus’<son> will pay penalty <for his own>and his father’s crime.

Planning harm for Argos with deceiving fire,Nauplius will fall sheer into the deep;replacing her Pheraean spouse in death,the wife33 will expend her life for her husband.Even he who ordered the plunder, the goldenspoil brought back on that first ship,seethed while wandering in narrow waters.34Enough reparations, you gods, for the sea:spare one under orders.

Act 4

nurse

My heart shudders with fear: great devastation is near. It is monstrous how her resentment grows, feeds its own fires, renews its past violence. I have often seen her raging,